What to See in Barcelona - With Limited Time
What to see in Barcelona, Spain can be a difficult decision especially if your time is limited. This post is the third of my three postings regarding my spring trip to Europe. Check out my posts on Monte Carlo here and Nice here.
This was not my first time in Barcelona. Back in nineteen-something-something, I was an exchange student attending classes at the University of Barcelona. My university days there were – let’s just say – interesting, fun-filled and turbulent.
Ultimately, my goal was to attend the 500-level ATP tournament held there. The Barcelona ATP tennis tournament is held in April and usually the week after the Monte Carlo 100 ATP Master tournament.
How to Get to Barcelona
Senior travel to Barcelona from North America is relatively easy. Since the Olympics, all major airlines now service Barcelona’s international airport. It is a jumping off point to other smaller locations in Europe.
However, for me, as I was already in Europe, I decided to take the train from Nice to Barcelona. Now I will try to keep my complaints brief, I will say the day on the train was not the relaxing trip that I had hoped for. But the scenery was worth the few moments of stress and worry.
First, I arrived very early to the central train station in Nice. Being spoiled by the service levels of Via Rail in Canada, I was confused and unsure of what to do and where to go.
Taking the Trains in Europe
Lessons Learned
Lesson One: From what I saw, they only post and announce the last destination of the trains. If I hadn’t finally asked the one person that seemed to be on duty, I would have missed my train.
Lesson two: Except for a little extra leg room, paying for a first-class ticket was not worth it.
Lesson three: the signage and directions are lacking to nonexistent so be prepared. In my case, I had to change trains in Avignon. But not only that, I had to change train stations! There is no one to direct you nor any signs on where to go. The only reason that I made my train connection was totally by accident and I just made the connection to Barcelona.
Barcelona Sants Train Station
Taxis, Ubers, and Trains - Oh My
Barcelona Sants train station is new from my days in university. The old train station was down in the docks area and dirty and dingy to say the least.
Arrival was smooth. The platforms are aligned to the train doors (unlike Via Canada). Then you go up to a new modern train station. Crammed with people.
It was now about 5:30 pm and I had been up since about 5:00 am. I went outside to what looked like a good spot to page for an Uber. After about 3 or 4 attempts, where I go the message: “we are searching for a match” for about 10 minutes each time, I decided to find a taxi.
Another ten-minute walk to the taxi stand at the other end of the station. I hoped into a cab with a rather grumpy gentlemen who spoke little English. In my broken Spanish I learned that he as a steadfast Catlan but once I showed him the map, he got me to the hotel (albeit I think on a little extra round about tour but hey – I got there).
Barcelona Tennis Tournament
I booked with Championship Tennis Tours for this tournament. I found the ability to tailor my experience to my budget a big win.
When booking through their website you have the ability to customize your hotel, your seats at the tournament and any extra experiences. This was very appealing.
I chose to book mid-priced tickets for the two days of tennis; I asked for a 3-star hotel near the site and added the Hop-on; Hop-off Bus tour as an extra add on.
Mike and his team went above and beyond helping me sort out all the details of my stay and answering all my questions. I found have someone helping a great bonus as when I did my trips to the Grand Slam Events, I did everything myself without knowledge of sites, locations of best hotels, travel and so on.
Now the only thing Mike and team may complain about me is that I kept having to change my checkout day as I played around with flights and some side adventures. I highly recommend CTT. They were responsive and quick to resolve issues. I can say that I really appreciated their service.
With Championship Tennis Tours, the thing that I liked the most was being able to customize your package. On their site they can chose 3-to-5-star hotels, depending on your budget.
Beyond that, each category has several hotels from which you can choose. You can stay near the tennis site or down near the ports and beaches even near the centre of the city.
From their list of hotels, I choose the Catalonia Rigoletto Hotel. It was listed as close to the tennis site which it was (more on that in a bit). It was walking distance to the main thoroughfare in Barcelona and from one of the main subway lines.
While from the outside, the Catalonia Rigoletto Hotel may not look like much the interior is quite different. It is definitely a repurposed building. The room suited my needs. The shower was awesome. Bonus: there were plenty of outlets to work and charge my electronics.
My one comment is that pushing two single beds together does not make it a double bed. On top of that the singles were small. I twice during my stay found myself falling in between the two.
This issue was made up for by the service and the food. Andreas et al on the front desk were awesome. Along with the wait staff in the restaurant. The breakfast buffet served fresh eggs and breakfast meats along with a full array of fruits, cereals and cheeses. More than anyone could ask for.
The dinners were so good that I only went out of the hotel to eat on one of the nights that I was staying there. The fish dinner that I had on the last night was one that I will remember for quite a while. Muy Bueno!
What to See in Barcelona
On the first day of the tournament, I chose to walk to the site. It seemed to be just around the corner from the hotel. My new rule: Do not trust Google maps. I ended up on a two hour walk around the area. I eventually made it to Real Club de Tenis de Barcelona with a couple minutes to spare.
After my two days of tennis, it was time to re-visit the city. Through CTT, I booked the Hop-on; Hop-off Bus. It was well worth it. There are two routes or loops. Between the two you hit all of the significant sites.
I spent a large amount of time walking around the Sagrada Familia. I did not go inside because the lines were so long and time was short. If I get back, I will reserve a full day here and do the tour. Check out the Sagrada Familia tours.
La Rambla
In my university days, La Rambla was the centre of my life. From hours sitting in the Café Zurich people watching, to sampling eats at the mom-and-pop restaurants along and off La Rambla, 8 to 10 hours a day were spent in the vicinity.
I reserved a whole day to take in the modern Rambla. I was not disappointed. It brought back so many memories.
While I didn’t need, I crossed path with many walking tours on La Rambla. It was fun to ease drop on their insights and apply that information against what I knew and had learned all so many years ago.
Senior Note: La Rambla and the Gothic District are very old and historic. They have many narrow cobblestone streets that are uneven and in places not well maintained. If like me, you have arthritic knees and are unsteady on your feet, I would recommend having a portable walking cane or walking sticks in your pack. These will help you balance and potentially save you from falling. (no guarantee though).
One of the many things that I was looking forward to was reliving the wild days of my youth on the beaches of Sitges. Then revisiting the inspiring Roman ruins in Tarragona.
Oops that didn’t happen because as this trip had worn on, fatigue set in and I booked the wrong day. I ended up having to cancel.
Barcelona International Airport
Ending my two weeks in Europe was bittersweet. As always, I was awake early on Sunday the day of my flight home. Packed and ready to go.
After goodbyes to the hotel staff, I once again tried to book an Uber outside the hotel. I once again got the spinning wheel of nothingness! So, after 20 minutes, I had the hotel call a taxi and was at the airport with 15 – 20 minutes.
This section is for those Canadian folks out there. Plan on a long walk. Air Canada’s gate is the furthest gate from the check in possible. To get there is one of the most circuitous routes man possibly could conceive. I walked back and forth the length of the airport twice. Be prepared
Conclusion
Barcelona is a wonderful city filled with the old and the new. There are so many points of interests to explore. I would love to spend a month there exploring.
The city is so much cleaner than I remember. The port area has been revamped from the dark and dangerous place that I recall as a student.
If tennis tourism is your thing, use Championship Tennis Tours to select a package that fits your budget. On the other hand, if tennis isn’t your thing, Barcelona is still worth a visit. History, culture, people, past, present and future collide to make for a memorable visit.
Please note: The opinions expressed in this document should never be construed as advice. The thoughts are based on my experiences after 40-plus years of business and vacation travel. My likes and dislikes may vary drastically from yours. Do your research and find products and experiences that align with your likes and dislikes. Most of all have happy travels and see you out there on the road!
Al of Al Murray Travel & Photography: From the time in my youth, when I would lay on our garage roof watching planes traverse the skies above me, I knew I wanted to see the world.
My passion grew after spending a semester of my university days in Barcelona. I spent more time on trains and buses than I did in class.
After earning my BA from Carleton University, life got in the way. But I did find time to graduate again from George Brown in Fitness and Lifestyle Management and then work my way through most of a degree in Sports Administration. However I needed to find work and pay for all this education!
It wasn’t until my “middle age” did I start exploring the world again. First, transversing the US and Canada to take part in tennis tournaments. Then later to complete my spectator “grand slam” of tennis.
I accomplished this while earning my certificate in photography from Toronto Metropolitan University. I am now combining the two passions and now sharing with you my many lessons learned.